Love Me Tender
by Sarcastic.Hufflepuff
Summary: Did Dudley Dursley actually change? Will the bullying, hateful boy ever accept the importance of bravery and strength? Will he acknowledge love?
1. Afraid

Love Me Tender

Afraid

Chapter1

The days were going rough for Dudley Dursley. His cousin, his vent for anger was gone. And above all, now, he is actually scared of that vulnerable waste of space. Even the mention of something remotely related with magic makes him jump and check his torso. _He had learnt the hard way not to mess with wizards_.

However, the bullies always have plenty of targets at their disposal. Thus, soon Dudley found his new victim. She bumped into him in the corridor and she dared, yes she dared, to ask Dudley Dursley for an explanation. He slapped the little git right across her face. The weak creature could not take the force and fell down. "Do you not know who I am? Never do that again." He saw the girl cry when he was leaving.

Chapter 2

Anastasia Richards thought she would be free. But she was not. She left her last school because of bullies. The nine year old girl was so traumatized by bullying that she was afraid of even going out of her house. She was turning agoraphobic. After months of counseling, she was ready again. Ready to face a new World. Alas, the new world was so very exact like the old one. She was smacked by a bully on her very first day. However, months of counseling taught her that there was no point running away. She would not surrender, she would fight.

The next day she deliberately bumped into the fat bully again, hoping to stand up against him. Thus, she once again asked an explanation for her clumsiness.

"Are you forgetting with whom you are talking to girl?"

She had planned so many things to say. But his angry face and clenched white knuckles scared her out of her wits. She recalled the last day's slap. And sometimes the anticipation of pain can be more dreadful than the pain itself. No, it was too difficult. She turned to run away. It was too late. He had already got hold of her hand.

"I am so sorry _Sir_! Please let go off me! I promise I will not repeat the _crime_ again!", squeaked the ten year old.

"What is your name girl?"

"Richards. Anastasia Richards. I am sorry! I am so sorry!"

The abominable boy spoke with an air of authority, "now, Anastasia Richards I will teach you a little lesson. After that you will never again have the courage to open your filthy little mouth in front of me". He bent her little hand behind her back and pushed her into an empty classroom and locked the door.

Chapter 3

There was something odd about this Anastasia girl. Everyday Dudley would inhumanely bully her and everyday she will strike back. And somehow her retorts were growing stronger.

Of course, the concepts of bravery and strength were far too complex for Dudley Dursley's mind. He did not understand the concept of standing up to the tormentor.

The little black haired girl had become a habit to him. He had an outlet for all his insecurities.

Chapter 4

The last summer was pretty good for Dudley Dursley. His father had locked up his cousin during the holidays. This provided a certain sense of safety to him. He despised wizards. His mother was right. Wizards were freaks. They were not suitable for the company of a normal society.

He was eager to go back to school. All summer he had thought of new ways to torment the young girl. He really wanted to break her down this time. He waited at the corridor for her to run into him.

The first bell rang. Was she late? One day being late to the class won't harm him.

The second bell rang. Is she coming? It will be fun to torture her in an empty corridor.

The third bell rang. The gates are closed. Where is she?

Somewhere in King's Cross Station dark haired little girl boarded a certain scarlet engine.


	2. Rehabilitation

**Disclaimer-** **So, I am supposed to put one of this so, no , I am not J.K. Rowling. If I was I would be making money out of this venture.**

Rehabilitation

Chapter 1

"Mum, I think we can trust the order's decision. We are isolated for our own good. They are protecting us", concluded the sturdy blonde boy in a huffed tone.

"Hmph! Protecting! A lot good that did us! Where was your precious order when those hooded freaks cornered us in the last location? Where is your _not a waste of space_ cousin when we need him?"

"Mum, I think Harry's own life is in enough danger as it is. And our treatment of him in the past years does not really oblige him to save our lives risking his own!"

"Vernon! Listen to your son! That horrible freak has done something to him. He is speaking rubbish!"

" Oh! Do shut up Petunia. We are holed up in this horrific cottage for so long, it is enough to turn anyone mad!"

Dudley got up and went to his room taking advantage of his parents' row. It's been seven months in this secluded village in Scotland. After the last attack, the ministry took up new protective measures, as a result of which now they had no idea of what was going on in the outside world, real or magical. Surely, something drastic did not happen, or else they still would not be here.

The last year and half was really hard on him. The cloudy weather and the sense of impending doom never really left his side. However, for the last month things have lightened up a bit. The weather cleared up and his moods too.

Chapter 2

"16 A, Scoirag Road, is it?"

"Yes, take a right turn from the next crossing."

"oh, thank you!"

Anastasia never thought that being an intern in the auror department would be so dull. What with the just-finished war and new ministry, she thought she would have a hectic schedule at the internship. However, only the aurors and third year trainees were trusted enough for missions. A large section of death eaters were still uncaught and the wizarding world has still not learnt to trust again.

Hence, the intern made coffee and did boring paperwork. She was rather excited when she was approached for a field job. She had the responsibility of relocating the muggle relatives of some important member of the ministry whose identity was not disclosed to her.

When she finally reached the old cottage, it was difficult to believe that the cottage was as of now, a muggle residence. The cottage looked like a wizarding household, well, at least from the outside.


	3. Collison

_**Disclaimer- Tried the polyjuice, but nope, still not JKR.**_

 _ **COLLISON**_

Chapter 1

The prospect of abandoning everything and becoming a baker was becoming a more tempting prospect to Anastasia than this auror business. Really, how is one supposed to make someone as daft as the man in front of him understand that no you cannot harm a wizard with a frying pan. She is under strict instructions to use as little magic as possible, apparently magic freaks them out, but it was either that or a flat face. Anastasia liked her face round, thank you very much.

" _Alarte Ascendare_ "

The frying went high up in the air and disintegrated.

"If I was a death eater I would have killed you rather than shoot up your frying pan, clearly you know that from your earlier experiences? "

"How do we know that you are not saying that just so we can put our guards down?"

"For Merlin's sake! It does not matter to me if you don't put your guards down. I can just stun you and transport you to the spot if I had the choice. But as it is that I am a ministry worker, I cannot. Now, I have already shown you my ID, kindly give me the documents the ministry gave you for identification. Then we can all go home."

"Home! Huh! You will go home but as long as this bloody war as you call it goes on we cannot go home, we will end up in another dump!"

"Oh my God! You did not know? The war is over. It's been over for nearly six months. I can't believe no one send you an owl! I am so sorry-"

"Well, I don't expect anything better from a couple of lawless delinquents anyway. So we can go home?"

Anastasia was clearly shaken. He wondered whose relatives these people were and how can a person be so irresponsible towards one's own. I mean the man in front of him was clearly not the most gentlemanly of all people, but who is after this war?

"Petunia! Diddykins! Come down fast, we are going home"

A blonde woman came out from the kitchen. The bags beneath her eyes prove that the war has taken its toll on her.

"Yes, I heard. Finally. I knew that my nephew was an ungrateful boy, but I never knew he could fall so low as to torment us for so long. The men who attacked us four months ago, they were sent by him I suppose?"

"What? No. No, I am quite sure your nephew did not send those men. You see although the war is over, all the death eaters are not captured yet. And your nephew must have had some important role in the war and that's why the death eaters wanted to take revenge."

The identity of this important ministry official was becoming more and more intriguing to Anastasia, because whoever it was, he or she was pretty important for the death eaters to follow his or her relatives.

Anastasia heard a rumble of steps from the stairs _, this_ _must be their dog diddy-kins_ she thought.

Oh! It was a person. A rather muscular person to be called diddykins actually. There was something very familiar and intimidating about this guy.

"Dad, we cannot leave on our own. It will put our lives in danger."

That voice. She can never forget that voice. But that is impossible. She must be overlooking something or the work load on the auror department is finally starting to take its toll on her.

"No, Dudley we are not leaving on our own, this woman is from the ministry to relocate us, the war is over, your h-"

Petunia did not get the chance to finish her sentence, for Anastasia's worst fears had come true.

" Dudley Dursley? Dudley Dursley from Pivet Drive?"

"Um, yes? Do I know you?"

"Do you know me? HA! No you do not! But I do. I know you for every bit of the vile, arrogant, bullying pig you are!"

"Excuse me! Who are you to talk to my son like that?" shrieked Petunia.

"I am the girl your son tormented. I am the girl your son bullied for a year. My name is Anastasia Richards. But surely your son won't remember that because he has had bullied so many people in the past years that it is impossible for him to keep track!"

Anastasia was very angry. She was finding it very hard to not jinx the boy in front of her. It was her job that prevented her from doing so. She noticed that Mr. and Mrs. Dursley were not at all bothered but actually had a look of blatant disbelief etched on their faces.

But what she failed to notice was how the colour drained from Dudley's face. For Dudley collided with the very ghosts of his past that he was trying so hard to run away from. What was worse that he actually did not recognize who this girl was. And that proved everything the girl said to him.


End file.
